Matrudevo Bhava: Celebrating the Mother-Daughter Bond , London, UK

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More than a hundred girls and their mothers attended a special event at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London on Sunday 10 March 2013 to celebrate the bond between a mother and a daughter.

Entitled ‘Matrudevo Bhava’, the programme was organised by the Swaminarayan Sunday School with the aim of strengthening the bond between mothers and daughters, and providing an opportunity for daughters to express their gratitude to their mothers, who were present with them at the event.
The programme began with a mahapuja conducted by 20 children who eloquently sang Sanskrit shlokas. Mothers and daughters sat side-by-side during this Vedic prayer ceremony, designed to foster peace and unity in the family in a calming atmosphere.

One of the first words of a newborn child is a word resembling ‘mother’. Maya Vekaria, aged 8, sang a beautiful song about the first word ‘Ma’. Daughters then took to the stage to express their personal sentiments to their respective mothers.

“I love my mummy because… she gives me hugs”, one young girl declared. Another child explained, “I love my mummy… because she puts me to sleep by gently tucking me to bed.” Mothers smiled with happiness as their daughters spoke of their love for them. Speeches and poems expressing specific qualities of mothers were also narrated by children.

As a finale, all the mothers were invited to stand up as their daughters had prepared some kind words. The daughters, in unison, said: “I love you mum – and I pray I can make you proud everyday.” This touching moment prompted daughters to embrace their mothers and present specially crafted hearts made by them as a souvenir.

A special session led by professional therapists followed for the mothers. The session provided practical advice for parents managing a hectic family life at home. The experts also shared useful ideas on how to appreciate precious moments with children.

The programme left everyone feeling united and grateful, with the mothers especially feeling inspired and happy.